The use of radiant heat devices in a fixing chamber to fix toner images in the fixing station of an electrophotographic print or copy device is, for example, known from DE 198 27 210 C1. The heat rays of the radiant heat device are deflected onto the toner images present on a recording medium, for example paper, the toner images being thereby fixed in the recording medium. However, the use of heat rays has the disadvantage that the heating and cooling of the recording medium is connected with a relatively high time constant, whereby given the start of the print event problems occur given downtime or given intermittent printing. In DE 198 27 210 C1, to prevent these problems it is proposed to provide a covering device (also called a blind) that can be moved into the beam path between the radiant heat device and the recording medium.
When, in spite of the blind, in the case of failure a burning of the recording medium occurs, it is necessary to seal the openings of the fixing chamber for the recording medium such that the fire cannot spread over the fixing chamber. What are called safety bulkheads are used for this that should fulfill the following requirements:                In the event of failure, the openings should be sealed such that no flames can spurt out from the fixing chamber.        A burning of the recording medium must be stopped over its entire width, such that no embers arrive outside through the bulkheads, not even when the recording medium transport extracts the burning recording medium from the fixing chamber with process speed. The embers of the burn edge must be smothered by the bulkhead upon being pulled through, and the hot ash residues must be stripped off. The clamping force of the bulkhead may not hinder the removal of the recording medium.        The materials used must be selected such that they can at least temporarily resist the flames and the occurring temperatures of up to approximately 1000° C.        
A fixing station with a fixing chamber with radiant heat devices is known from DE 696 13 057 T2. Surface treatment rollers with which a glossy surface of the recording medium should be achieved are arranged at the output for the recording medium. The surface treatment rollers comprise a rigid core that can be provided with an elastomer covering. The rollers can be movable and can close under the force of a spring. The output of the fixing chamber can thereby be sealed, whereby fire should be contained in the fixing chamber.
A problem to be solved is to provide a safety device (safety bulkhead) with which the requirements specified above are safely fulfilled.